Machine for applying tape to the back seams of shoe uppers



July 24, 1956 H, 1 VACHON 2,755,492

MACHINE FOR APFLYING TAPE TO THE BACK SEAMS OF SHOE UPPERS Filed Dec. 28, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l www n -f a BM, l 1 QWM/z July 24, 1956 H. J. vAcHoN 2,755,492

MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO THE BACK sEAMs oF sHoE: UPPERS Filed Dec. 28, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi-n lllllllll ggmn nIl@IHIIIIIIIIIIIIHLIHIIIIIII July 24, 1956 H 1, VACHON 2,755,492

MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO THE BACK SEAMS OF' SHOE UPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

Filed Dec. 28 1953 July 24, 1956 H 1 VACHON 2,755,4@2

MACHINE FOR APPLYING TAPE TO THE BACK SEAMS OF SHOE UPPERS Filed Deo. 28 1953 4 Sheecs-Sheet 4 MAC FUR APPLYNG TAPE TO THE BACK SEAMS F SHE UPPERS Hilbert J. Vachon, East Saugus, Mass., assiguor to Boston Machine Works Company, Lynn, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 400,468

3 Claims. (Cl. 12-59.5)

This invention relates to a machine for applying a tape to a shoe upper or equivalent article and cutting oit' the tape automatically so that an end of the severed piece of tape will be flush with or spaced a predetermined distance from the adjacent edge of the upper. As hereinafter described the machine is more particularly designed to apply tape to a seam where the two pieces of leather or fabric are joined. In making shoes some manufacturers fold the top margin of the uppers to form a bead of greater or lesser width according to choice, and some manufacturers do not fold the top margin. If the margin is to be folded, the upper end of the strip of tape on the back seam should be spaced from the rop edge of the upper by a sufficient distance to avoid the inclusion of any of the tape in the folded margin. If no folding of the margin is intended the tape should extend to the top edge of the upper.

According to the invention a machine is provided which supports a roll of tape which is'coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The tape is drawn from the roll and brought down into proximity to the nip of a pair of pressing rolls to which successive shoe uppers or stitched quarter pieces are to be supplied so that the rolls can press the tape against the back seams. The machine includes mechanism responsive to the approach of the leading edge and the trailing edge of an upper to the nip of the rolls to draw slack from the roll of tape, to apply the tape to the back seam of the upper as it enters the nip of the press rolls, and to cut off a length of the tape so that the cut end will be ush with the edge of the upper or spaced a predetermined distance inward therefrom, the mechanism being readily adjustable to change such distance as desired.

For a detailed description of a machine embodying the invention reference may be had to the following specification and to the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an inside-out upper to the seam of which a piece of tape has been applied;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a part of the machine;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the same;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6 6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine, portions being broken away to show in section;

Figures 8 and 9 are similar to Figure 7 except that the parts are shown in different positions of operation;

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are similar to Figure 6 except that the parts are shown in different positions of operation;

Figure 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Figure 7;

Figure 14 is a section on the line 14-14 of Figure 8;

Figure 15 is a section on the line 15-15 of Figure 8;

States Patent 2,755,492 Patented July 24, 1956 Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 of Figure 8;

Figure 17 is a section on the line 17-17 of Figure 4;

Figure 18 is a section on the line 18-18 of Figure 17;

Figure 19 is similar to Figure 18 but with the parts in a different position of operation;

Figure 20 is a section on the line 20-20 of Figure 17; and

Figure 21 is similar to Figure 6 but shows the parts in a different position of adjustment.

The machine as shown in Figure 1 includes a main frame 30 on which is carried a pair of feed rolls 32 and 34. The upper feed roll 32 is provided with teeth 36 extending around its circumference (Figure 4) to grip the work as it is passing between the feed rolls. The lower roll 34 is provided with a circumferential groove 3S (Figure 15) to receive the back seam 40 of a shoe upper 42 and to press against this seam a strip of tape 44 which is coated with an adhesive on onek face thereof. If the work pieces are other than searned shoe uppers, the peripheries of the feed rolls are shaped accordingly.

The feed roll 32 is mounted on a shaft 46 which is journalled in the main frame 30. The roll 34 is an idle roll journalled in the upper end of an upright 4S which is rockably mounted at its lower end on a block 50. Rockable with the upright 48 is a lever 52 the upper end of which is attached by a link 54 to the short arm of a bell-crank 56. The long arm of the crank projects upward (Figure 1) and is manually .operated to swing the upright 48 toward the right so as to move the feed roll 34 clear of the feed roll 32 when it is desired to operate on the back seam of the shoe upper. In most cases the shoe upper is in the form of a closed loop which must be placed over the upright 43 so that when the back seam has passed through between the feed rolls 32. and 34, the upper will then be free.

The adhesive tape 44 is drawn from a roll 55 carried by a suitable bracket 66 which extends upward on the main frame Sti. The tape ieads through an upper detent 62 which is mounted at the end of a rocking lever 64 past a guide 66 on the main frame and a guide 68 on a vertical slide bar 711 to a lower detent 72 carried at the lower end of the bar 7d. A tension spring 71 is attached to the bar 7i) and the main frame to pull the bar downward and toward the right against a fixed guide member 73 which is secured to the main frame. The detent 72 is preferably a light leaf spring bearing against a knurled guide roll 74 mounted at the lower end of a bar 7i). The rocking lever 64 is pivoted as at '76 to the main frame, the lower end of this lever being adjustably connected as at 78 to the bar '.10 so that when the lever 64 is rocked, the bar 7@ is raised and lowered together with the guide 68 and the detent 72 and roll 74 mounted thereon. The normal position of the bar 7d is shown in Figure 1, the knuried guide roll '74 being adjacent to the nip of the feed rolls 32 and 34 and just beiow the level of a xed knife which is mounted on the main frame.

When a work piece has been fed through between the feed rolls 32 and 34, the bar '7d is raised by the rocking lever 64 to lift the knurled roll 74 above the level of the knife Si) (Figure 9). A guide roller 8i is mounted on 'the main frame to bear against an edge of the bar 7@ in such a way as to hold the roll 74 clear of the knife Sil when the bar 76 moves up and down. When the roll 74 moves above the level of the knife, a recess S3 in the edge of the bar 7i) receives the roller Si and permits the tape to swing the bar 7d toward the left, bringing the portion of the tape between the knurled roll 74 and the nip of the feed rolls 32 and 34 strongly against the edge of the knife 80 which is preferably serrated as indicated in Figure 16 so that the tape is thus severed. Whenever the rocking lever 64 is rocked to raise .the bar 7i), the upper end of the lever on which the upper detent 62 is mounted swings downward thus pulling some slack tape 44 loose from the roll 5S. When the lever 64 rocks back to the position shown in Figure 1 this slack hangs in a loop and can be drawn through the detents 62 and 72 with very little resistance.

A suitable guide 82 for the work piece is mounted on the upright 48. This guide is curved as indicated in Figure l so that its upper end is close to the periphery of the feed roll 34 and is triangular in cross-section (Figures 13 and 14). Cooperating with the guide 82 are lixed guides 84 and S which are mounted on a block 86 carried by a vertical rod 8S. This rod slides through bearings in a bracket 96 which is secured to or a part of the main frame. At the upper end of the rod 88 is a cross head 92 carrying a set screw 93 by which the limit of the down stroke on the rod 88 is adjustably determined. Through the cross head 92 extends a guide pin 94 which projects upward from the bracket 90 and carries a tension adjusting nut 96 at its upper end. Between the nut 96 and upper face of the cross head is a spring 98 which presses the cross head and the rod 8S downward. The block 86 which is mounted on the rod 88 also carries a finger 160 the lower end of which is between and slightly above the guides 84 and S6.

Above the upper end of the guide 82 and between the guides 84 and 85 is a trigger member 102 adapted to be lifted by the leading edge of each work piece which approaches the feed rolls and lowered by the trailing edge of the same work piece. The first of such movements of the trigger cocks the cam-actuating mechanism hereinafter described. The second movement trips the mechanism for an operative cycle. In the machine shown on the drawings, the trigger is engaged by the seam 40 of the work piece which is slid along the guide 82 toward the feed rolls 32 and 34. This trigger is carried by a vertically movable member 104 (Figure 3) which is movable upward against the tension of a suitable spring 106. The member 104 carries a bracket 108 from which a bolt 110 projects downward to engage a microswitch 112. Whenever a work piece is moved under the trigger 162 to lift the same, the switch 112 is closed so as to close an electric circuit including a solenoid 114 which is thereupon energized so as to move its armature 116 toward the left as in Figure 1. This armature is spring pressed toward the right by a suitable spring 118 so that when the switch 112 is opened to deenergize the solenoid 114, the armature 116 thereupon moves to the right. The armature carries a dog 121) which is movable therewith to engage and disengage a one revolution clutch for the activation of the rocking lever 64. The rocking lever carries a cam follower 122 which is held against the cam edge of a cam member 124 by the weight of the lever 64 augmented by a suitable spring 126. The cam member 124 is mounted on a collar 128 which is loose on a constantly rotating shaft 130 journalled in the main frame 3). Also loose on the shaft 136 is another collar 132. Between the two collars 12S and 132 is a drum 134 which is secured to the shaft 130 so as to rotate therewith. Fitted around the drum 134 is a helically coiled spring 136 the ends 138 and 140 of which are attached to the respective collars 128 and 132. The natural inner diameter of the coiled spring 136 is slightly less than the external diameter of the drurn 134. Hence if the spring 136 is left to itself, it will grip the drum 134 and will cause the collars 12B and 132 to rotate with it and with the shaft 131). The direction of the coil of the spring 136 is such that if the collar 132 is held, a slight rotation of the collar 128 by the shaft 130 has the effect of opening the spring 136, that is, increasing its diameter so that it no longer grips the drum 134. The collar 128 thereupon ceases rotation until the collar 132 is released to jump forward and contract the spring 136 so as to seize the drum 134. ln order to connect and disconnect the cam 124 and the drum 134, the collar 132 is provided with a latch member 142 (Figures 18 to 20) which is the trans verse end portion of an elongated shank 144. The latter is slidable in a slot in the circular collar 132. The latch element is pressed outward by a spring 146 (Figure 20), but can be pushed in Hush with the periphery of the collar 132 as shown in Figure 1l. When the collar 132 is rotating, the latch 142 describes a circular path around the axis of the shaft 130. When the solenoid 114 is deenergized, the dog is in the path of the latch and intercepts it so that most of the time the latch bears against the dog 120 as in Figure 6. When the solenoid 114 is energized, the dog 120 is retracted, releasing the latch 142 and permitting the collar 132 to turn. The rotation at this time is through an angle of only a few degrees as the latch 142 hits a second dog 151) which stops further rotation of the collar 132. The dog 150 projects laterally from a lever 152 which is rockable about the axis of the shaft 130 and is angularly adjustable about the shaft by an arm 154 which is a part of the lever and from which a loop 156 projects downward. A xed bolt 15S projects out from the main frame and through the loop 156. A thumb nut 160 on the bolt 158 clamps the loop to hold the lever 152 and the dog 150 in adjusted position.

When the solenoid 114 is deenergized after being energized, the dog 120 is pulled to the right by the spring 118 and pushes the latch 142 inward to clear the second dog 150. As soon as the latch is clear of the dog 150, the tensed spring 136 which surrounds the drum 134 causes the collar 132 to jump ahead so that the spring 136 tightens on the drum and causes both collars to rotate with the shaft 130 until the latch again engages and is stopped by the dog 120 after completing a rotation of approximately one revolution. The cam 124 rotates with the collar 128 and rocks the lever 64 on which the cam follower 122 is mounted. The follower usually rests on the high portion 166 of the cam. When the cam rotates, the follower rides on the high portion to the corner 168, then falls to the low portion of the cam, thus rocking the lever 64 downward and elevating the bar '70 which carries the knurled roll 74 upward so as to cause the tape to be severed. Since the position of the dog 150 determines the angular position from which the earn 124 starts its rotation, and since the initial position of the cam determines the angle through which the cam has to rotate to bring the cam follower to the corner 168, the adjusted position of the dog 150 determines the length of the brief time interval which elapses from the moment when the trailing edge of the seam of the work piece passes the tip of the trigger 102 to the moment when the tape is cut on the knife 80. Two different positions of adjustment of the dog 150 are shown in Figures 6 and 2l, respectively. When the adjustment is as shown in Figure 6, the follower travels a shorter distance to the corner 168 than in Figure 2l. The tape is therefore severed sooner, that is, further from the trailing edge of the seam.

The operation of the machine is as follows. If the shoe upper to be operated on is in the form of a closed loop, the lever 56 is pulled to swing the upright 48 forward, separating the feed rolls 32 and 34 so that the upper can be looped around the upright. The feed wheel 34 is then swung back to its operative position and the back seam of the upper is slid along the guide 82 as indicated in Figure 13. The seam engages and lifts the 'trigger 102, closing the switch 112 and energizing the solenoid 114. This retracts the dog 120, releasing the latch 142. The collar 132 turns until the latch hits the second dog 150. The back seam is manually pushed along the guide 82 until it is caught in the nip of the feed rolls. In approaching the feed rolls, it passes under the knurled guide roll 74 (Figure 7) which presses the sticky side of the tape 44 against it. The loop of slack tape which has been pulled from the supply roll 58 provides sufficient tape with little resistance until the end of the tape on the seam has passed the nip of the rolls 32 and 34. The seam with the tape thereon is then advanced by the feed rolls. When the trailing edge of the s earn passes the tip of the trigger as in Figure S, the trigger is let down and the switch 112 opens, deenergizing the solenoid 114. The dog 120 moves to the right and knocks the latch 142 ciear of the dog 159 so that 'the collar is released and the spring 136 grips the drum 134. This rotates the cam 124. The cam follower 122 which rides on the cam 124 rocks the lever 64 rapidly down and then upv The downward rocking of the lever 64 elevates the bar 70 which carries the knurled roll 74 and thus moves the tape against the fixed knife 80, causing the tape to be severed as indicated in Figure 9 so that the end is spaced inward from the trailing edge of the seam (Figure 2) if the dog 150 is suitably adjusted. The dog may be adjusted so that the end of the tape will be flush with the end of the seam or extend beyond it. After the tape has been severed, the cam follower 122 rides on to the high portion 166 of the cam as the cam completes its revolution. rThis lowers the bar 70 and carries the end of the remaining tape into a position to be engaged by the next work piece.

Any suitable driving connections may be employed for the driven parts of the machine. As shown, the constantly rotated shafts 130 and 46 are connected by gear wheels 189 and 182, mounted on the shafts, which mesh with an idle gear wheel 184. The shaft 46 also carries a gear wheel 186 which meshes with a smaller wheel 188 on a power shaft 190.

i claim:

l. In a tape applying machine, a frame, a pair of feed rolls on said frame adapted to press tape onto work pieces presented thereto, means for constantly rotating one of said rolls, a fixed knife mounted near and above the nip of said rolls, a guide roll for the tape in front of said knife, means normally supporting said guide roll at a lower level than said knife, means for operating said supporting means to elevate said guide roll to a position above said knife such that the tape extending from the guide roll to said nip of the feed rolls is brought against said knife, said operating means including a constantly rotating shaft supported by said frame, a cam member loosely mounted on said shaft, cam actuated linkage adapted to raise and lower said guide roll support each time said cam member makes one revolution, and means including a trigger member adjacent to said nip of the feed rolls and engageable by a work piece approaching the nip for connecting and disconnecting said cam member and shaft in timed relation to the progress of the work piece toward the feed rolls.

2. In a tape applying machine, a frame, a pair of feed rolls on said frame adapted to press tape onto Work pieces presented thereto, means for constantly rotating one of said rolls, a fixed knife mounted near and above the nip of said rolls, a guide roll for the tape in front of said knife, a vertical slide supporting said guide roll normally below the level of said knife to keep the tape away from the knife, means for lifting said slide to elevate said guide roll to a position above said knife such that the tape extending from said guide roll to the nip of said feed rolls is brought against the edge of said knife, said operating means including a lever rockably mounted on said frame and attached to said slide, a cam follower carried by said lever, a rotatable cam member mounted on said frame and engaged by said follower, means for rotating said cam member, and means including a trigger member adjacent to the nip of said feed rolls and displaeeable by a Work piece approaching said nip to control the operation of said cam member.

3. In a tape applying machine, a frame, a pair of feed rolls on said frame, means for constantly rotating one of said rolls, means on said frame for supporting a supply of tape and guiding the tape to the nip of said rolls, a fixed guide member for work pieces adjacent to the periphery of one of said rolls, a trigger member mounted near said guide member and movable from said guide member by a work piece inserted between the guide member and the trigger, an electric switch operable by movement of said trigger, a solenoid connected in series with said switch, an armature operable by said solenoid, a constantly rotating shaft carried by said frame, two collars loosely mounted on said shaft, a spring coiled around said shaft and adapted to grip the shaft when free, the ends of said spring being attached respectively to said collars, a cam on one said collar, a latch element on the other said collar revolvable therewith, a dog carried by said solenoid armature and normally in the path of said latch element to hold the collars against rotation, an adjustably fixed dog in the path of movement of said latch element, said latch and dog being arranged so that energization of the solenoid retracts the first dog from the latch whereby the latch moves into engagement With the fixed dog and deenergization of the solenoid results in a reverse movement of the first dog against the latch to push the latch to clear the second dog, whereby the spring is released to grip said shaft, and means including a cam follower in engagement with said cam to sever said tape when the cam revolves.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,923 Haviland Nov. 8, 1898 797,791 Cameron Aug. 22, 1905 2,130,193 Osgood Sept. 13, 1938 2,142,332 Ridderstrom Jan. 3, 1939 2,427,240 Vachon Sept. 9, 1947 2,480,828 Baker Sept. 6, 1949 2,582,980 Fritzinger Jan. 22, 1952 2,652,166 Johnson Sept. 15, 1953 

